Complex Sentence

Complex-Sentence is the sentence which has two or more subordinate clauses besides the main clause.

The analysis of Complex sentences is the analysis of the clauses in those sentences.

Now let us analyse the clauses in the Complex Sentences so that we could become familiar with the formation of sentences.

1. Complex Sentences, containing two subordinate clauses.

Example:

Whenever he heard the question, the old man who lived in the house answered that.

In this sentence, we find two subordinate clauses.

a. The old man…..answered. (Principal Clause)
b. Whenever he heard. (Subordinate Clause)
c. Who lived in that house? (Subordinate Clause)

2. Complex Sentences, containing three subordinate clauses.

Example:

Whenever he heard the question, the old man who lived in that house, answered that the earth is flat.

There are three clauses in this sentence.
a. The old man…..answered. (Principal Clause)
b. Whenever he heard. (Subordinate Clause)
c. Who lived in that house? (Subordinate Clause)
d. That the earth is flat. (Subordinate Clause)

3. Complex Sentences, containing four subordinate clauses.

Example:

I knew a man, who believed that, if a man were permitted to make the ballads,he need not care who made the laws of the nation.

This sentence has four subordinate clauses, besides the principal clause.

a. I knew a man. (Principal Clause)
b. Who believed …(Adjective Clause)
c. That he need not care. (Noun Clause)
d. Who made the laws of the nation? (Noun Clause)
e. If a man is admitted to make the ballads. (Adverb Clause)

Understanding the Complex-Sentence in terms of Clause analysis will take you to the next level of forming sentences.

This way you could understand how the complex sentences are formed and what are the clauses used to form a complex sentence.

This analysis will help you transform the sentence from a simple sentence to a complex sentence,and from one type of sentence to another type of sentence.

Transformation of sentence will help you fill your writings with various types of sentences in order to add varieties to you writings.

You could find an opportunity to transform the sentences in the exercises section.

To learn how to transform the sentences, go to the section on ‘Transformation of Sentences’.